Locking-bar for gates.



J. MUELLER.

LOCKING BAR FOR GATES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18.1913.

1 ,141,479 Patented June 1, 1915.

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- J'OI-IN MUELLER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE! ISLAND.

LOCKING-BAR FOB. GATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed April 18, 1913. Serial No. 761,932.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN MUELLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking-Bars for Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locking bars for gates having a plurality of sections, such as those commonly employed for closing elevator wells and the like, and the invention has for its object to provide such a locking bar with a plurality of members one pivoted to each of the gate sections and one to a fixed point on the-frame, and all of said members being pivoted together at points offset from the medial line through said members when in alinement providing a toggle joint effect with the joint swinging past the center, whereby said gate sections are positively locked in closed position against any opening strain. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a handle on one of the bars so that the members may be manually moved out of alinement to open the gates from the inside and the end ofone of said bars is also arranged to extend beyond its pivoting point on its gate section whereby a key may be positioned through a hole in said section to en a e said end and move the members out of alinement so that the gate may be readily opened from the outside.

With these and other obiects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Of the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating a plurality of gate sections in closed position with my improved locking bar connected thereto in locked position. Fig. 2 is a plan or edge view of the gate sections showing the relative positions of the members of my improved locking bar. Fig. 3 is an elevation illustrating the gate sections as partially open illustrating the folding action of the locking bar members.

Referring to the drawings I have herein illustrated three gate sections such as those employed for controlling openings to elevator wells, and the like, but these gates may be used for .any purpose for which thev may be adapted and any desired number of gate sections mav be employed, said sections being arranged to slide in parallel planes and are herein illustrated as being mounted on the usual rolls 10 supported on overhead tracks 11 and 12 which are mounted in a suitable frame. My improved locking bar for controlling the relative positions of and locking said sections in closed. position, is constructed preferably of as manv members asthere are gate sections. The first mem ber 13 of the bar has a length about one-half the width of the first gate section 18 and is pivoted at one end 1 1 to a bracket 15 fixed on the frame 16, its opposite end 17 being pivoted at 19 t0 the second member 20. This latter member is pivoted at 21 on a bracket 22 supported on the edge of the second gate section 23, and the third member 2 1 is pivoted at 25 to the edge of the third gate section 26 and has one end 27 overlapping the end 28 of'said second member 20 and is pivoted at 29 thereto. The opposite end 30 of this third member extends forward of its pivoting point 25 and is in position when the gate is locked to be engaged by akey which may be positioned through the key-hole 31 in the gate section 26 for tipping this end down out of alinement to move the bar to its unlocked position. The end 28 of the second bar member 20 is provided with a handle or knob 32 by which the bar may be moved out of its locked position from the inside of the gate. The end of this member is also provided with an overlapping lip 38 for en aging the upper edge of the bar 24 to hold all of the members in alinement one with the other when the bar is in locked position.

An essential feature of my improved construction is that the pivot 19 is offset above the medial line a through the bar when the same is in locked position and the pivot 29 is offset on the opposite side or below said medial line thereby providing a toggle joint effect or action with its joint swung past the center, serving to effectually lock the bar members in closed position against any possible opening strain.

Bythis construction it will be seen that the bar members control the relative positions of the gate sections and when said sections are in closed position the bar automatically drops into place and effectually looks the gates from being opened leaving 4 only two possible ways for unlocking the gate, one from the lnside by raising the knob.

or handle 32 to throw the bar members out of alinement one with the other, and the other means of unlocking the gate is from the outside which is by inserting a key through the key hole 31 in the door 26 to engage the free end 30 of the bar member 2 1 to such an extent as to raise the pivot 29 above said medial line and to drop the pivot 19 below said medial line thereby permit-' ting the gate sections to be readily moved back to open the door.

In some cases when the operator starts to move the first door section 26 from open to closed position, if for any reason the second door section shall operate when the first door section is moved.

I clalmzr The combination with a gate comprismg a plurality of sliding sections one of which is id d with a key opening, of a bar comprising a plurality of members, one of which is pivoted near its middle to one of the sections of said gate, a secondmember of said bar being pivoted at one end to a fixed point independent of the door, and a pivot connecting therother end of the second mem-,

her to the first member, said pivot being upwardly oifsetfrom the medial line of said members, a third member pivoted near one end to another gate section and at its opposite end to said first bar member by a pivot downwardly oifset from the medial .line of said bars, and a lip on said first bar, mem her for engaging said'third bar member between its two pivoting points, whereby said offset pivots cause said bar members. when in alinement to positively lock said gate sections against any opening strain, oneend of said third member being projected beyond its pivotal connection to mid section and extending beneath said key opening when said bar is in looking position, whereby a key may be passed through said opening to depress the end or" said .memberto 'break the joints of said bar and permit said door to be opened. I

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MUELLER.

Witnesses: V

' HOWARD E. BARLOW, E. I. OGDEN;

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the flommissionenof Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

